Odd Alphabet
by boyslikegirlslikeboys
Summary: A collection of alphabet oneshots centered towards JacexCassidee OC . Probably OOC, especially for Jace, but I think he's a secret softie;  T for safetyy. Reviews are loveeee   ***COMPLETED***
1. A is for

**Okayy, so I wanted to do an alphabet fanfiction. However, I wanted to use words that made me feel smart. Hence, the Odd Alphabet. Just a note: the words may not be used in the story, but the definitions will be. Read and review please! Love to ya'll!**

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**A is for aeviternal (everlasting, endless)**

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"Jace!" Cassidee trilled as she entered the Institute. The golden boy sighed, hearing the melodic calling of his name.

"He's in his room, Cass!" He heard Isabelle yell from the kitchen. Minutes later, Cassidee burst into Jace's room, all smiles. Jace, who hadn't slept the night before due to a demon problem he had to take care of, simply waited as the girl removed her jacket, shoes, and baseball cap before leaping onto the bed beside him.

"Hi, Jace!" She greeted him happily. Her face fell when he failed to mirror her enthusiasm. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" As she asked the last question, she lifted his arm, examining it for scratches, then cupped his face in her hands. "Are you sick?" She felt his forehead. "Are you—"

"Knock it off. I'm fine." Jace muttered, not attempting to pull away. Cassidee frowned. When she didn't move for a while, Jace wondered if he'd hurt her feelings, and felt bad. Suddenly, though, the soft pads of her thumbs stroked the skin under his eyes.

"Sleepy." She stated, using one hand to brush his hair out of his eyes. Slowly, she pushed him backwards until he was lying on the bed. Jace was too tired to resist, but he watched her intently from half-lidded eyes. Cassidee had slid off of the bed and was pulling the sheets out from under Jace's body. When she had done so, she tugged them over him, all the way up to his chin. With a small smile, she dropped a kiss on his forehead. "Rest now," She demanded quietly, turning to leave.

Jace's hand shot out from under the covers, securing her wrist in his grasp before he reeled her back towards him. Cassidee looked at him for a long moment, finally realizing that if she didn't lay with him, he wouldn't sleep. Faking annoyance, she slipped under the covers until their shoulders touched.

"Happy?" She asked him, knowing the answer as he extended an arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her close until she was pressed against him. Cozy and warm in her love's arms, Cassidee curled up beside him, her head pillowed on his chest and one arm hugging his waist. Five minutes later, Jace heard her content, easy breathing and knew she was asleep. A tender smile stole across his face as he closed his eyes.

He'd be perfectly happy if this nap was endless.


	2. B is for

**B is for baisemain (a kiss on the hand)**

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Cassidee sighed dreamily as the TV screen showed a part of Pride and Prejudice. Isabelle, who was seated on the couch beside her friend, shot her a quizzical glance.

"That's so romantic," Cassidee breathed, her eyes shining as she watched the onscreen couples dancing.

"What, being crammed in a crowd and dancing with some random stranger that your parents want you to marry? Your sense of romance is very strange," Isabelle snorted.

"No, Iz, I mean the _boys_. Look at how every single guy kisses his partner's hand. That's sweet." Cassidee's soft smile turned a bit sour. "Sure do wish that _some_one would do that for me." Isabelle laughed a little bit.

"You know Jace is all Y-chromosome on the outside, but on the inside…" Cassidee looked up at Isabelle hopefully, praying she'd say he was secretly a Mr. Darcy of sorts. "Well, he's pretty much Y-chromosome through and through." Cassidee laughed together with her friend, trying to ignore the slight ping of disappointment in her heart.

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The next day, Cassidee's phone buzzed first thing in the morning._ Come over now,_ it read. _Need you. –Jace._ Quickly, Cassidee tugged on her bathrobe and jammed her feet into her slippers before running out the door and going over to the Institute.

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"Jace! Jace, I got your message, what's wrong…" Cassidee trailed off in bewilderment as she entered the main foyer of the Institute. A card lay on the floor, attached to a rose. Cassidee picked it up and read the boyish handwriting. _Hurry. I'm waiting. –J._ Thoroughly confused, Cassidee glanced down at the floor, seeing a trail of pink petals on the ground. She followed.

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The end of the trail was at the library doors. Cassidee pushed them open, then staggered backwards a half-step when she saw what was inside. Golden candelabras held flickering red candles that made the gems in the floor of the library glisten in the low light. The furniture had been moved so a large space was open. Soft music played from some unknown source. And there, in the middle of it all, stood Jace, dressed in black dress pants and a white button-up shirt, looking like a dashing young suitor as he smiled at Cassidee. With his usual grace, he crossed the room and bowed in front of the blushing girl.

"You look lovely tonight," Jace said, raising her hand to his mouth and kissing the knuckles. Cassidee nearly fainted. "Shall we dance?" He invited, leading her to the center of the room and putting his hands on her waist. Cassidee looped her arms around his neck.

"H-how… did you find out?"

"Isabelle," Jace murmured, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "She told me that you were starry-eyed over a romantic movie character. I refuse to be one-upped by a romantic movie character, so I devised this passionate display of my ardor to make you starry-eyed over me." He raised an eyebrow. "Have I succeeded in securing your affection?" Cassidee laughed, her throat thick with happy tears, and managed to nod. "Excellent. My heart is at peace knowing that the love of my existence is pleased." Cassidee nestled her head into Jace's chest, slowly moving back and forth as they swayed to the music.

_Thank you, thank you, thank you, Isabelle!_ Cassidee cheered in her mind.


	3. C is for

**C is for camisade (night attack)**

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Music thumped on the other side of the apartment door, so loud that Cassidee wondered if its inhabitants could hear her knocking. Feeling discouraged when another round of knocks went unanswered, she turned and began to walk away.

The door swept open, revealing a glittering, colorful warlock. "Who dares to interrupt my party?" The man yelled, making Cassidee jump, which in turn made her ballcap tumble off her head. She bent to grab it, but the warlock beat her to it. "So sorry, Cassidee, I thought it was another annoying client. Come on inside." Magnus handed her the hat, which she promptly settled onto her head before following him into the apartment.

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A writhing crowd filled the room, bodies pressing on Cassidee as she wove through the people towards Magnus's room. A group of girls with flowers in their hair waved in greeting, while a vampire boy leered at her, pointy teeth showing. Cassidee quickly slipped into Magnus's room, and the warlock shut the door with a sigh.

"I don't know why I host these parties. They give me such horrible headaches." He sat down on the edge of his mattress, motioning for Cassidee to join him. She didn't.

"Magnus, I have a favor to ask of you," She began slowly. Magnus groaned.

"Ah, favors, favors. Go on, ask me." He allowed.

"Well, Jace's birthday is tomorrow—"

"Ah, yes. The cocky one with the gold eyes, the one I don't particularly like. Why are you asking me about him?" Magnus's cat eyes glittered with annoyance. He was fond of Cassidee, he admitted, and counted her as a friend, but sometimes she irritated him beyond belief. For instance, the time she thought that his hair needed more color and decided to add the dye herself, ruining his favorite shirt, and the time she decided to give Chairman Meow a bath, which resulted in a traumatized cat and a bleeding Magnus.

"Jace is my _boyfriend_, Magnus, remember?" Cassidee reminded him, a trifle of frustration in her voice. "_Any_way, I was wondering if you'd help me throw him a birthday party."

"No. No way am I celebrating that sarcastic Shadowhunter's day of birth…" Magnus began to rant, but his glowing green eyes caught the girl's pleading brown ones, and he sighed. "… Unless it's for you. Fine, fine. What did you have planned?" Cassidee lit up happily, a mischievous look in her features.

"A night attack," She stated.

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The next morning, Jace woke up and was blinded by color. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up slowly with a groan. When he saw his room, his mouth dropped. Huge, bright balloons filled every corner. Streamers criss-crossed the ceiling, and an endless downpour of confetti fell down on him like a neon snowstorm. A long banner stretched across the room, reading 'Happy Birthday, Jace!' in colorful lights. Suddenly, the door opened.

"Happy birthday, Shadowhunter," Magnus deadpanned, looking entirely bored with the whole thing. Jace smirked.

"Moving on from Alec, are we, Magnus? Too bad I'm not available," Jace snickered. Magnus rolled his eyes, reaching behind him and pushing something into the room. "Here's your present." He said before walking away. Jace's eyes widened slightly.

Cassidee stood in his room, wearing a frilly pink dress that made her look almost like a child. A big silver bow was tied in her hair, and she held a small cupcake in one palm. The cupcake was red velvet cake, Jace's favorite, and a sparkler was stuck in the top, happily throwing off golden glitter. Cassidee's grin was practically glowing.

"Happy birthday, Jace!" She chirped gleefully. Jace got out of bed and waded through the confetti on the floor until he stood in front of her. A tag was tied with the bow in her hair, and Jace read it aloud.

"_To the Shadowhunter. Here's a birthday gift for you. Wait until I'm out of earshot to start canoodling with her. Magnus._" Cassidee turned a bright shade of crimson, obviously unknowing of Magnus's message. Jace simply laughed and took the cupcake from her, blowing out the sparkler and eating half of the delicacy. The other half he stuffed in Cassidee's mouth, giving her a minute to chew and swallow it before her mouth was captured by his.

_Night attack plan: well done._ Cassidee gave herself a mental pat on the back.


	4. D is for

**D is for defervescence (decrease of fever; coolness)**

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_Miserable. Absolutely miserable._ Cassidee thought to herself, sitting in the sweltering heat while she watched Jace training in the park. It was getting dark, and it was still around 100 degrees outside. The girl wiped a small sheen of sweat from her forehead. _So hot…_

Jace was fighting with Alec and Isabelle, dodging and attacking them with lithe, quick movements. His gray tee looked black in some spots, damp with sweat, and his tan skin was glistening with moisture. Cassidee could almost _see_ his muscles working, could almost _feel_ the strength in his body. _So, __**so**__ hot…_

Distracted by her boyfriend, Cassidee didn't see the wooden practice blade that was hurtling towards her until it struck the ground by her foot. She screamed, startled, and yanked her legs away. Jace was laughing, nearly doubled over, and Isabelle was being supported by Alec, who was also chuckling. Cassidee frowned and seized the hunk of wood, pulling her arm back and throwing it hard. Jace's laughter was cut off by a dull _thwack_ as the practice blade struck his shoulder. Jace swore loudly, making Alec and Isabelle laugh harder. Jace gave his girlfriend an accusing look as he rubbed his arm. Cassidee stuck her tongue out at him, which was a huge mistake.

Jace and Alec exchanged conspiratorial glances. Cassidee gulped. The boys came rushing towards Cassidee, who screamed and scrambled to her feet, running away from them. Her attempts were in vain. Alec's ankle shot in front of her, tripping her and making her fall forward into Jace's waiting arms. Jace put her over his shoulder, pinning her legs against his chest when she struggled. Isabelle stood beside Jace, laughing uncontrollably at her friend's predicament.

"Alec." Jace said, almost as an invitation. Alec laughed once, then knocked Isabelle's legs out from under her and slung her over his shoulder, holding her exactly as Jace was holding Cassidee. The boys walked forward leisurely, chatting about demons and Downworlders. Cassidee and Isabelle shared a panicked glance before thrashing in their captors' grips.

"Jace, I swear if you don't put me down now, I will never speak to you again, you hear me?" Cassidee yelled, pounding futilely on Jace's back. Jace reached up and slapped her butt lightly, making Alec guffaw and Cassidee gasp.

"Now, now, darling, don't make empty threats," Jace said between snickers. Cassidee was too shocked by Jace's earlier action involving her rear to say anything.

"Alec, put me down NOW. I will tie you up and leave you in a demon-infested alley. I will knock you out and set you on fire. I will make you wish you were an only child." Isabelle growled, raging.

"Dearest sister, sometimes I _already_ wish I were an only child," Alec informed her, making Isabelle call him all manner of foul names. The boys continued forward until they reached the edge of the pond in the park. There, they paused, letting the girls hear the splashing of the fountain in the center of the pond.

"Iz. Iz, that's… _Jace_. Don't do it, Jace, don't you dare…!" Cassidee panicked, writhing violently in a last-ditch effort to escape. Isabelle was squirming too, spitting out expletives directed at the boys.

"Oh, come one, girls, this is the _perfect_ way to cool down," Alec said before glancing at Jace. "One… two… three!" The boys chorused, leaping into the pond on the last word. All four went underwater, allowing the cold water to soak them head to toe.

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Alec was the first to come back to the surface, followed by Jace. The two slapped hands in a triumphant high-five before the girls came up. Isabelle immediately started throwing punches at Alec's face, which he avoided easily. Cassidee broke the surface spluttering, having swallowed some water. Jace laughed, taking in the sight of his dripping wet girlfriend. Cassidee dipped back under the water, taking a mouthful of the liquid and spitting it in Jace's face. This ignited a water war between the four teens that lasted until the sun had sunk below the horizon.


	5. E is for

**E is for eidolism (belief in ghosts)**

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The cool autumn air swirled around the street, leaves crackling under Cassidee's feet as she strode along the sidewalk beside Jace. It was growing dark, the temperature slowly dropping. Jace cast a sideways glance at the petite girl at his side, a smirk appearing on his face. She looked up at him quizzically, her face curious.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" She asked, her head tilted to the side slightly. Jace shook his head, turning his gaze to the street, but finding it hard to resist looking back at the girl. His eyes were drawn to her, and he laughed a little. "What?" Cassidee demanded.

"You do know it's not Halloween yet, right?" He asked, gesturing to her outfit. Cassidee looked down at herself, frowning slightly. She wore lacey leggings under a short black skirt, paired with a long-sleeved gray top and silvery half-calf boots with little heels. Her hair was in a high ponytail, a black ribbon tied into it. Cassidee looked back up at Jace.

"Duh. It's barely October."

"Then why are you dressed like a Shadowhunter?"

"We're going to see the Silent Brothers. I don't want them to know I'm not a Shadowhunter. They might not like a mundane coming into the Bone City." Jace took her hand, holding it up between them and pointing to the swirling black mark that sprawled across the skin.

"Don't you think that faking Marks is a little extreme?" Cassidee yanked her hand away and stuck out her tongue at Jace, who laughed.

"I don't do things halfway. It's all or nothing with me," She declared firmly, striding ahead, having seen the cemetery entrance. Jace shook his head and followed, still smirking.

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Cassidee paused at the cemetery gate, suddenly nervous. Jace stopped beside her, amusement in his golden eyes.

"You aren't _scared_, are you, Miss Shadowhunter?" Jace chuckled, walking inside the cemetery and leaning against a tombstone. "Think there's ghosts creeping around in here?" Cassidee narrowed her eyes and stepped into the cemetery. Jace stood and walked farther in, with Cassidee trailing after him slowly, chewing on her lip. "You know, there might actually _be_ ghosts here, Cass. I heard a story about this girl whose husband got killed by muggers, and she wanders around and tries to hurt girls who have their man by their side." Cassidee's heart thudded unevenly in her chest, but she rolled her eyes and brushed past Jace, going towards the entrance to the Bone City.

"That's stupid. You obviously made that up."

"Did I? Ask the Silent Brothers about it. They know it's true." Jace put his hands on her shoulders from behind and whispered in her ear. "They saw it happen." Cassidee felt cold to the bone, pulling away from Jace and crossing her arms to hide the shakiness in her hands. The door to the Bone City opened before them, revealing one of the Brothers. Jace went down the stairway, and Cassidee moved to follow, but the white-faced man stopped her, speaking in her head and saying only Jace could come in. Cassidee steeled her nerves and nodded once, watching the two disappear into the Bone City.

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_Jace needs to hurry up. It's really getting dark now…_ Cassidee thought with a sigh, shifting atop the headstone she was sitting on. A scratching noise sounded from behind her. Cassidee's head whipped around, searching the shadows for the source. Suddenly, the same noise came from directly beside her. Cassidee squeaked, an intense fear gripping her heart. Did she really hear the deep-throated laughter that echoed around the graveyard a moment before? _Something's in here._ Warm air blew on the nape of her neck once… twice… three times. Cassidee couldn't help but imagine a terrifying beast standing behind her, breathing on her neck before it attacked. _Something is in here_. Her hand flew to her arm, sure that she'd felt something wet dripping onto her skin. Cassidee's breath shuddered out of her chest tremulously, and her eyes began to sting with fearful tears.

Scared out of her senses, Cassidee didn't notice the doorway to the Bone City opening up, releasing Jace, who walked into the cemetery calmly. Once her eyes found him, though, she couldn't stay still.

"Jace!" She screamed, leaping off the headstone and running to him. The boy barely had a second to process what was going on before Cassidee jumped on him, locking her arms behind his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. Unconsciously, Jace hugged her, pressing her close just because instinct told him to.

"What's wrong?" He asked, stroking her back. He felt her trembling in his arms.

"G-g-ghosts," She said through chattering teeth. Jace carried her out of the cemetery, feeling guilty that he'd told her the story, even if he _had_ made it up. He knew better than to stoke her already-overactive imagination. If her mind was set on a topic, she could convince herself of nearly anything. Cassidee had a strong belief in supernatural things, and Jace had turned it against her.

"I'm sorry I scared you with the story," He said, kissing the top of her head. She sniffled and pulled back to look at him.

"It's not your fault, it's the ghost's. He's the one who had to breathe and drool on me." Jace chuckled, amazed at his girlfriend. Sometimes she was like a little child.

"That's one mean ghost." Jace said, feeling Cassidee nod against his collarbone.


	6. F is for

**F is for fantasticate (fantasize over something)**

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"Ooh, I want to go here!" Isabelle said, pointing to a picture in a magazine. Cassidee looked over, observing the pristine beach scene. "Can't you just see me sitting in a hammock beneath the palm trees, being waited on by twelve sexy, shirtless guys with Australian accents and shark tooth necklaces?" Cassidee laughed, nodding.

"I like this place. It's got charisma." A tiny creek wove through a forest, its clear waters sparkling in the sun. Isabelle glanced at it, tilted her head, and thought.

"I suppose it's… quaint." She decided.

"What if there was a mostly-nude male model standing in the water, flipping his hair and sending water droplets flying through the air like heavenly crystals? Would it be better than 'quaint' then?" Cassidee asked. Isabelle winked.

"You know me well, Cass." The two friends laughed together. Cassidee flipped a few pages in her magazine, stopping to stare at a full-page image.

_Cassidee stood outside the little whitewashed chapel settled in rolling green hills. She heard beautiful music flowing through the open doors, and she knew that she had to go in. A small bouquet of pink and purple wildflowers rested in her hands. With slow, floating steps, Cassidee walked down the aisle of the church, not bothering to smother the elated smile that inhabited her glossed lips. There, directly in front of her, was her whole world._

_Jace turned to face Cassidee, a beatific grin spreading across his face, seeming to make his golden eyes glow. He extended a hand, which Cassidee took, and helped her up the two steps to the altar. Cassidee turned to hand her bouquet to Isabelle, who was tearing up happily. Jace caressed the back of Cassidee's hand as the two of them faced the preacher. Minutes later, Jace was sliding a dainty silver ring onto Cassidee's finger, and she heard him say the words 'I do.' Cassidee found herself with a thick silver band in her palm, which she promptly put on Jace's finger. 'I do,' She said, her voice brimming with adoration._

_Knowing exactly what to do, Jace cupped Cassidee's face in his hands, mouthing 'I love you' before his lips came down to meet hers…_

… "Cassidee!" Isabelle said loudly, breaking into Cassidee's fantasy. The girl blinked, clearing the vision out of her head and coming back to reality. "You were off in some other dimension again. What were you thinking about?" Cassidee shook her head, a secret smile on her face.

"Nothing."


	7. G is for

**G is for gallophile (love for the French/France)**

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"Jace, _bonjour!_" Cassidee beamed as Jace shuffled into the Institute kitchen. Her grin turned to a frown as she took in the boy's appearance. "_Sanglant?"_ She asked, sliding off the countertop and going to stand in front of him. One finger reached out and stroked his forearm, wiping off a deep red fluid. Cassidee peered at the blood in horror before quickly swiping it off on her jeans and capturing Jace's face with her hands. "_Etes-vous blesse?"_ She demanded. Jace rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, almost wearily.

"Cass, I've got a serious headache. Could you speak English?" The tiredness in his golden irises seemed to fade a little, replaced by curiosity. "Were you speaking French?"

"_Oui!_" She said cheerily, then blushed a little as she remembered his request. "I mean, yes."

"Why?" Jace's lips curled into a slight smile.

"It's… pretty," Cassidee admitted, looking down at her feet in embarrassment. Jace chuckled, using two fingers to lift her chin slowly and bringing his mouth to hover mere centimeters away from her ear.

"_Je t'aime," _Jace breathed, making a shiver run down Cassidee's spine. She was frozen, held in place by his barely-there touch.

"I didn't know you spoke French," She whispered, finding that her heart was pounding wildly.

"There are a lot of things you haven't _uncovered_ yet." Was it her imagination, or was Jace's voice slightly lower, husky with a feeling that made goosebumps prickle along Cassidee's skin? She pulled away from him quickly, trying to recover the happy-go-lucky demeanor she always had as she moved back over to the stove.

"I made lunch," She announced in a light, breezy voice, stirring the pot. Jace sighed inwardly, unhappy that his comment had scared her—even if it _was_ a remarkably cunning innuendo, he congratulated himself. In a few moments, Cassidee was swirling around the kitchen, setting the table for the two of them. Jace sat in his chair, waiting patiently with his feet on the table while inspecting the holes in his shirt with interest. Suddenly, the kitchen was quiet. Jace looked up, seeing Cassidee with her hands on her hips expectantly. He raised an eyebrow. "_Excusez-moi,_ but what are you doing?"

"Waiting on lunch," Jace stated. Cassidee made a shooing motion with her hands.

"Get your feet off the table, sit up straight, and _pour l'amour de la bonte,_ go wash your hands!" Jace laughed, obeying his girlfriend then coming back to sit down.

"What are we eating?"

"_Soupe poulet et nouilles!"_ Cassidee announced proudly, ladling the golden soup into their bowls. Jace spooned some into his mouth, making a big show of debating whether it was good or not after he'd swallowed. Cassidee was practically leaning across the table, waiting for his review eagerly.

"_C'est magnifique,_" Jace said with a smile, loving how Cassidee's face lit up at his praise. After his approval, she began to eat. Jace watched her contentedly, observing the black beret on her head and the Eiffel Tower on her pink shirt. She certainly didn't do things halfway. If she loved something, she went all out. Jace recalled the time she'd dressed like a Shadowhunter, even going so far as to scrawl fake Marks on her skin with Sharpie, and his smile deepened.

_Elle est vraiment quelque chose de special…_

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_Bonjour - _Hello

_Sanglant? –_Blood?

_Etes-vous blesse? – _Are you hurt?

_Oui - _Yes

_Je t'aime - _I love you

_Excusez-moi- _excuse me

_pour l'amour de la bonte- _for goodness sake

_Soupe poulet et nouilles- _chicken noodle soup

_C'est magnifique- _it's magnificent

_Elle est vraiment quelque chose de special… - _She really is something special…


	8. H is for

**H is for haptotrophic (curving in response to a touch)**

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"You little—!" Isabelle screeched, launching herself at Jace and successfully tackling him. The two of them rolled on the training room floor, fighting. Jace was laughing loudly, at some points yelling swear words because Isabelle had gotten in a lucky hit. Cassidee giggled, closing her book and setting it on the floor as she got to her feet and crossed the room to the cause of the fight. Isabelle's favorite hat was dangling about ten feet off the ground, pinned to the wall by a dagger that Jace had thrown. Izzy had entered the room looking for Cassidee, dressed and ready to go out shopping. Jace simply chucked the knife, and it sailed through the air and pierced the hat before landing solidly in the wall. Hence, the two Shadowhunters wrestling on the floor.

Cassidee smiled and shook her head, reaching up to try and pull the knife free. Unfortunately, she was very short. Too short to even dream of touching the knife. A huff of annoyance escaped her lips, and a quick chuckle sounded from behind her.

"Need some help?" Alec asked, gesturing to the hat on the wall. Cassidee nodded, and Alec put his hands on the small part of her slight hourglass figure. When he tried to lift her, though, she gasped and crumpled forward. Alec, wide-eyed, managed to catch her before she fell. Gently, he set her on the floor, bracing her back against the wall. Jace was at her side in an instant.

"What's wrong? What happened?" He asked, worried. Cassidee smiled briefly.

"Just trying to save Izzy's hat," She replied. Jace's eyes narrowed, locking on her legs, which were pulled up to her chin in a defensive posture. "See something you like, Wayland?" Cassidee tried to tease him, to no avail; the boy was still staring at her legs, silently ordering her to lower them. She did, with a reluctant sigh. Jace's gaze immediately switched to her hands, which were clutching her side. Cassidee moved those, too. Jace seized the hem of her shirt, pushing it up to expose her stomach, revealing a dark, angry bruise where her hands had been. Jace sucked in a breath through his teeth.

"What. Happened. To. You?" He growled.

"I was playing soccer, and some of the players got a little… rough." Jace raised an eyebrow, not satisfied with her answer. "Well, all of us were riled up and goofing off. Everyone started playing dirty, messing around and throwing elbows and stuff like that. I had the ball, running downfield. I'd dodged most of the other team, and one guy tried to stop me, so he was pushing and I was shoving, and he got an elbow up under my ribs here." She shrugged like it was no big deal. Jace was furious.

"One _guy_ tried to stop you?" He said in a low voice.

"Jace, calm down," Alec said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sure Cass got him back for it." Cassidee grinned victoriously.

"Oh, yeah. Slide tackled him twice, and with a well-placed kick from me, the soccer ball probably wasn't very nice to his, um, _equipment_." Alec laughed with her, but Jace was still in a dark mood.

"It doesn't matter if you got your revenge. The point is that you're _hurt_."

"It's a bruise. It'll fade in a week." Jace suddenly pressed his thumb against the bruise, eliciting a soft, pained whimper from Cassidee. Her body curved sideways, trying to shield the spot from Jace's touch.

"_Jace._" Isabelle hissed. "Leave her alone." Jace ignored Izzy, his golden eyes intent on Cassidee's face.

"Is it fading?" He asked angrily. She shook her head in defeat, and the pressure of his hand ceased. Suddenly, though, he leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips for a dizzying second before pulling away an inch. "Be more careful." He swept a lock of hair behind her ear, a smirk growing on his face. "And, for the record, I'm proud of you for nailing that guy's equipment."


	9. I is for

**I is for ianthine (violet-colored)**

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Jace knew he was in trouble. _Deep_ trouble.

"Please? Pretty, pretty please?" Cassidee asked, squeezing his hand in hers and bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Jace gritted his teeth.

"No."

"Pwease?" She said, making her voice sound like a toddler's. Her bottom lip pushed out in a pleading pout, brown eyes glittering pitifully. "Pwetty pwease Jacey?"

"No?" Jace tried to say, but it came out sounding like a question. He grimaced, knowing that his voice had just exposed him, belly-up. Now Cassidee would go in for the kill.

"I wuv you, Jacey. Pwease?"

"… Fine."

.

An hour later, Cassidee was standing in Jace's room in the Institute, a large canvas covering the floor and all the furniture moved out. Buckets of paint sat in the center of the room, all of them in one color—purple. Jace stared at the pails. Cassidee was in the bathroom, changing into old clothes before they got started. In moments, she emerged, and Jace switched his gaze from the paint to the girl. His eyes widened slightly. A cut-off tank top that was scarcely more than a sports bra covered her top. Her bottoms were black soccer shorts, but they had been rolled up until they came to mid-thigh.

"Quit gawking and get to work," Cassidee instructed, picking up a paintbrush and tossing one to him. She grinned once, slathering the brush in paint and painting a wide stripe across Jace's wall. He sighed and started to paint.

.

Jace had gotten into a steady rhythm, moving his brush swiftly up and down the wall, then sticking it in the paint and starting again. He was zoned out, thinking about this and that, but he paused for a moment and was pulled out of his trance by Cassidee's quiet voice. She was humming under her breath while she painted. Jace turned to look at her. She was swaying her hips and moving her feet to the rhythm; even her brush strokes went with the melody of the song. Suddenly, the rhythm was familiar to Jace. He burst out laughing, startling Cassidee into dropping her brush.

"What is it? What's so funny?" She asked, curious.

"You… _Please_ tell me you weren't just humming 'My Humps'." Jace said through his laughter. Cassidee turned a bright shade of red.

"I didn't think you would know that song…" She mumbled, thoroughly humiliated.

"What'cha gonna do with all that junk, all that junk inside that trunk?" Jace sang jokingly before erupting into guffaws. Cassidee threw the paintbrush at him, splattering his black shirt with purple. "Oh, you're gonna get it now!" He said, grinning wickedly and leaping across the room, pinning Cassidee to the wall for a moment, then releasing her and admiring his handiwork: her whole back was covered in purple paint. Cassidee pressed her hands to the wet wall while Jace was laughing. When he stopped to look at her, she moved herself so she was chest-to-chest with him.

"You really are such a handsome thing, Jace," She said, her voice low. Jace's eyes darkened, and Cassidee snaked her hands around his waist, placing her palms firmly on his rear. A gasp strangled in Jace's throat, thinking Cassidee was truly trying to seduce him. If she was, it was working.

Unfortunately, she wasn't. A loud giggle bubbled out of her throat as she moved away. Jace craned his neck, seeing two bright purple handprints on the back pockets of his jeans. Cassidee had already begun to paint the walls again, innocently humming 'Baby'. Jace decided to drop the matter… for now.

.

"Done!" Cassidee announced proudly, now that Jace's walls were violet-colored. The boy dropped his brush into one of the buckets while Cassidee admired the room. Quietly, he cupped his hands and gathered a pool of paint in them, approaching his girlfriend with Shadowhunter stealth.

"Congratulations on the…" He dumped the paint on her hair slowly. "Purple," He finished with an evil smirk. Cassidee turned to face him, mouth agape as the liquid dripped off the ends of her hair. Suddenly, inspiration hit. She quickly whipped her hair around, letting the saturated strands smack across Jace's face. When she was finished, stripes of color slashed across Jace's tan skin.

"Howdy, Tony the Tiger," She snickered.

"Oh, you little…" He whirled, soaking his hands in paint and slinging it at Cassidee. She dodged it, shrieking, but that was what he wanted. While she was crouched, he forced her to the floor, fast but gentle. Jace sat on her legs, pinning her arms to her sides and holding him there with his knees. With a paint-covered finger, Jace wrote on her stomach, ignoring her squeals. When he was done, he blew on it, drying his artwork. Cassidee scrambled to her feet as soon as he let her and immediately looked down at her tummy.

There, in violet letters, was the word JACE. Cassidee gasped. Jace grinned.

"You're mine," He said teasingly. Just as Cassidee was about to say something back, the door opened.

"Hi, kiddies," Magnus said. "Having fun?"

"Absolutely. We were playing Artists. See Cassidee's work?" Jace asked, turning to show the boys the handprints on his rear. "Now, see mine?" He slid an arm around Cassidee's shoulders, pulling her close and pointing to his name on her tummy.

"Nice work, Cassidee. Jace, you write like a blind infant." Magnus shook his head, turning away from the door.

Faintly, the two heard him say something about 'canoodling'.


	10. J is for

**J is for jarta (term of endearment)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Mmmm… Hello?" Cassidee's half-asleep voice answered the phone. Jace fought down a chuckle. She sounded like a child, even more than usual.

"Open the back door, baby doll," Jace said, staring at her window. As he'd expected, the big bay windows swung outward and Cassidee's face peered out, illuminated by the moonlight. Jace waved, and the windows closed. Minutes later, Cassidee was sliding open the back doors, welcoming Jace inside. He kissed her forehead and stepped past her.

"What are you doin' here? It's barely one in the mornin'." She yawned widely, flicking on the living room light. Jace sat down on the couch and removed his shoes, shrugging.

"I just wanted to see my baby doll," He replied.

"Well, she doesn't live here," Cassidee said. Jace laughed.

"You _are_ my baby doll, sweetheart." Cassidee plopped down beside him, murmuring a small 'oh' as she cuddled into his side with a sigh.

"Wha's with the pet names all of a sudden?" She took one of his hands and played with his slim, strong fingers. Jace leaned his cheek on the top of her head.

"Don't most couples have silly, senseless terms of endearment for one another?" Jace asked. Cassidee pulled away to look up at him.

"So it's jus' a senseless nickname, then?" She asked, looking a little hurt through the sleepy fog in her eyes. Jace cursed himself.

"No, of course not. You really are my baby doll."

"Why a baby doll?" Cassidee tilted her head sideways, in the manner of a curious puppy.

"Well… You're little, beautiful, cute, sweet, and you remind me of a baby doll."

"Aww, thanks!" Cassidee squealed, throwing her arms around Jace's neck. He pulled her into his lap, winding his arms around her waist easily. He placed his forehead on her collarbone, inhaling her peppermint-scented skin.

"There's one thing I forgot."

"Hm?"

"I love to hold my baby doll."


	11. K is for

**K is for kindergraph (photo of a child)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

The sharp sound of a blender woke Jace from his nap. He sat up and stretched, lifting his arms over his head before sliding off the couch and shuffling into the kitchen. Cassidee stood there, holding the lid on the blender and watching an off-white colored substance swirl in the machine.

"What's that?" Jace asked, coming to stand beside her. With a grin in his direction, Cassidee pulled the lid off the now-silent blender with a flourish, dipping her finger in the liquid and poking it in his mouth. She blushed fiercely when his tongue ran along the pad of her fingertip, tasting the drink.

"Pina colada," Cassidee told him, pulling her finger away and wiping it on his shirt. "I've been drinking these since I was a kid." She poured herself a glass and sipped it happily.

"Virgin, I hope." Jace said. Cassidee turned scorching red and began to cough.

"E-excuse me?" She spluttered. Jace looked at her in confusion.

"You drink virgin pina coladas, right? No alcohol? Especially as a kid. That's not healthy."

"Oh. Oh, right, yeah. Virgin pina coladas, with no alcohol. Right." Jace felt a grin spread across his face as he realized what she must've been thinking.

"Of course, I hope you're still a _no alcohol_ girl. Although..." He leaned against the counter, running his eyes over her like a lion sizing up its prey. Jace's grin grew as he saw her face turn even redder, nearer to purple now. "I'm positive the _no alcohol_ status would change if you were to drink a few non-virgin pina coladas with me." The poor girl was almost hyperventilating, but she took a long swallow of her drink and regained her composure.

"There's a drink for you there," She said with a smile and motioned towards the other glass on the countertop before she went into the living room. Jace had to hand it to her, she was determined to keep her cute, childlike personality. He chuckled and took the drink, joining her on the couch.

.

"Who's that, in the picture?" Jace leaned forward and took a silver, rhinestone-studded picture frame off the coffee table. Cassidee looked at it, waving a hand dismissively.

"That's Brody, Chase, and Mitch. They were my best friends from baby days."

"Who's the girl?"

"It's me," Cassidee said. Jace peered closer, and noticed the resemblance. The same bright, sparkling brown eyes framed by long, dark lashes. Her hair was white-blond when she was a kid; since then, it had darkened to a dirty-blond. Jace chuckled at the silly grin that child-Cassidee was wearing. It was exactly the same as the one she often showed him, minus the missing teeth that the photo showed.

"You haven't changed at all."

"I have so!" She protested. "I've grown a lot. And back then I didn't have this scar." Cassidee pointed to a small white dash mark on the corner of her left eye.

"Yeah, but you smile the same. Your eyes are the same color. And you couldn't have grown all that much, because you're still tiny." Cassidee smacked his arm. "You're still adorable, though." Jace said, kissing her nose.

"Shut up and drink your pina colada," She said, but Jace caught the pleased smile on her face.


	12. L is for

**L is for lanai (private balcony in a hotel room)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Alec sat on a beach towel under the striped umbrella that was stuck in the sand, watching everyone with amusement as he sipped a soda. _They look like they're having fun… This beach trip was a good idea._ Isabelle was playing beach volleyball with a crowd of guys, flirting incessantly. Magnus had been walking along the shoreline, collecting shells and casually throwing some of the sharp, broken ones at unsuspecting beachgoers, who would cry out and curse as they were hit by the projectiles. Alec smirked at his boyfriend's innocent act when the victims would search for their attacker.

"Magnus is going to get the police called on him eventually," Jace remarked from beside Alec. The dark-haired boy turned to look at his companion with curiosity.

"I thought you'd be out there with Cassidee," He said. The two of them turned to look at the girl. She was crouched in the sand, her head tilted sideways and a bright pink plastic shovel in her hand. Minutes later, she stood up and waved to Magnus frantically. The warlock threw another shell, chuckled at the rotund man it struck, and walked over to Cassidee. Alec noticed a warm smile curving Jace's lips as he watched the girl motioning animatedly and pointing at where she'd been sitting. Magnus nodded at something she'd said, and a bright grin appeared on her face. She took one step backwards… and disappeared. Alec and Jace shot to their feet, running over to Magnus, who was laughing.

"I can't believe you, Cass," Magnus said, shaking his head in awe. Cassidee had her head tilted fully back, looking up at the three boys on the edge of the hole she'd dug.

"Eight feet deep!" She announced proudly. Jace's golden eyes lost the tint of panic and adopted a tender look. He kneeled beside the rim of the hole and extended an arm to help her out. She scrambled up the side and fell onto the sand. Her head popped up to look at the ocean. Huge waves were rolling in steadily, and in a blink, Cassidee was on her feet, radiating excitement. "Hey, do we have body-boards in the hotel?"

"No, but we could go get some," Alec suggested, earning a groan from Magnus. Cassidee nodded fiercely and ran off to get Isabelle, dragging the girl away from the volleyball game.

"You realize you're paying, correct?" Magnus said before joining the two girls. Alec looked at Jace, who shrugged and walked off. Alec sighed.

.

"Cassidee, why are you always the last one dressed?" Isabelle demanded, banging on the bathroom door. Jace was lying on the bed, his arms folded beneath his golden curls. Magnus stood beside Alec and helped hold the boards, the two of them in neon rainbow trunks and solid black trunks, respectively.

"Because I have to work the hardest to look nice!" Cassidee replied. "You could wear a _trash bag_ and look good, Izzy!"

"Nobody looks good in a trash bag," Magnus interjected. Cassidee kicked the bathroom door in a way that said 'shut up'. Jace chuckled. Soon, the door opened, revealing the petite girl in her bathing suit. Jace sat up to look, and a strangled gasp made its way out of his throat. The swimsuit was hot pink and white, with ruffles on the top and bottoms. Cassidee's long, dirty-blond hair fell around her shoulders, and a shell anklet was on her right leg.

"Shall we go?" She said, linking her arm with Isabelle's and leading the group down to the beach.

.

Huge waves were rolling in the ocean. Cassidee sat on her body-board, bobbing in the surf. Jace paddled out and waited beside her. She turned to look at him, smiling brightly, and he returned the gesture.

"There's a big one," Jace said, nodding in the wave's direction. He slipped into the water and positioned himself on the board, preparing to ride the wave. Cassidee did so, too, but a flash of discomfort appeared on her face. Jace saw it. "Cass?" She shook her head, saying she was fine, and the two rode in. However, Cassidee stayed up to her shoulders in the water when Jace stood at the shore.

"Let's get back out there," She said, pointing at the deeper waters. Jace frowned.

"What are you hiding?" He asked, looking at her body that was wrapped in the ocean.

"Nothing."

"Cassidee."

"Nothing."

"…" Jace was silent. Suddenly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her upright. Cassidee was too startled to resist, and Jace caught a full view of her stomach. A thick band of angry red dots was across the flat, tan skin of her tummy. He touched it, and she recoiled with a yelp. "You've rubbed it raw from body-boarding."

"Oh, it's nothing. I just got so caught up with how much fun I was having, and I didn't notice." Cassidee sounded genuinely cheerful. Jace knew she had been having a good time, but she was hurt nevertheless, and she was in pain.

"Alec!" Jace called, leading Cassidee out of the water and towards his friend. Alec looked up with curiosity. "Take her back to the hotel room." Alec nodded and Cassidee followed him without complaint.

.

"That was fun!" Isabelle said when she, Jace, and Magnus got back to the room. Magnus quickly excused himself to go back to the boys' room where Alec was. Isabelle went to the bathroom and got in the shower. Jace looked around for Cassidee, who wasn't in either of the beds. He knocked on the connecting door.

"Yeah?" Alec's voice answered.

"Cassidee isn't in there with you two, is she?"

"No, I left her in there and she hasn't come back out." Jace turned away from the door, feeling a little anxious, when he saw the curtains on the far wall moving. He stepped through the open glass doors that led to the balcony and found his girlfriend, who was curled up in one of the chairs and sleeping.

A small smile stole across Jace's lips when he saw her favorite notebook sitting on the ground, dropped when she'd fallen asleep. There, in pencil, was a picture of the balcony with the ocean in the background. Leaning against the rail was Cassidee, and a sketched-Jace had his arms around her.


	13. M is for

**M is for mulligrubs (ill-tempered mood)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Cassidee felt horrible.

She hated—No, she _resented_—that single week out of every month. This time, it was particularly bad. She'd never had cramps so bad that she felt like she couldn't move. Her head spun dizzyingly every time she lifted it. To top it all off, it was rainy outside, which made her hyper-awake so she couldn't even sleep away this awful day.

Putting her iPod on the dock attached to the speaker system in the living room, Cassidee played the slowest piano music she had and laid down on the couch, hoping to rest a little. The melody soon calmed her thoughts and her stomach, and her eyes flickered closed…

_Ring! Ring!_ Cassidee's cell started chiming, making her come out of her relaxed state in a heartbeat and bringing back her head-and-tummy-aches. Cassidee growled as she answered.

"What?" She said curtly.

"Someone's got my stele up her butt," Jace snickered, quoting her usual reply when he answered in a harsh tone.

"Do you want it back up yours?" Cassidee snapped, her cramps worsening.

"Geez, what made Dark Cassidee come into existence?"

"Your mother," Cassidee mumbled grumpily.

"What?" Jace asked, her response too low for him to hear.

"Nothing." A deep groan emanated from her chest as her headache stabbed painfully in her temples.

"I'm coming over." Jace hung up before she could protest.

.

Again, the piano lullaby eased Cassidee into a drifting state of half-consciousness.

Again, she was interrupted, this time by a knocking on the back door. Sighing, she rolled off the couch and slid open the glass doors, allowing a soaked Jace inside. He had two bags in his hands, and no jacket. Cassidee stepped back and looked him up and down.

"You look awful." With that, she plopped back onto the couch cushions.

"Love you, too. So what's wrong?" Jace asked, sitting down beside her.

"Are you stupid? Get off the couch, you're wet!" She yelled, which in turn made her moan due to the sudden increase of her aches. Jace obeyed, standing with anxiety in his eyes. After a moment, Cassidee looked up at him and waved towards the bathroom. "Go take a warm shower. I can wash your clothes." Jace nodded and walked off.

.

"Cass, what am I supposed to wear now?" He called ten minutes later. Cassidee shoved a pile of clothes into the bathroom. There was a pause as Jace examined the articles. "Is there a reason that you have boxers?"

"Yeah, Alec left them last night." Cassidee rolled her eyes and went to lay down in the living room. Jace followed shortly after, dressed in Cassidee's way-too-large pair of red plaid flannel pajama pants and her oversize tee from a rodeo she'd attended.

"Ha-ha." Jace deadpanned, perching on the coffee table in front of her. "Now, what's got you in such an ill temper?"

"Nothing _you'd_ understand," She replied. Jace scrubbed a hand through his wet hair.

"Alright. Do you want to watch tv?" Cassidee shook her head. "Want some ice cream?" Again, a no from the girl. "Would you like me to play doctor for you?" One of her eyebrows raised.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course not. What can I do to make you feel better?"

"Go get a sex change. Then you'll know what I'm going through." Cassidee snorted. Jace looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Oh." He said, standing up and returning to the bathroom. Cassidee heard him rummaging though the medicine cabinet. When he came back, two small maroon pills sat in his open palm. He offered them to Cassidee with a smirk. "You could've just told me you were on your period." The girl swallowed the pills gratefully. "Don't you think I'd know what to do? I've been around Isabelle since she first got hers."

"Well, next month I'll call you as soon as I start, okay?" Cassidee said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Maybe you should," Said Jace in response, "I like seeing Dark Cassidee. It's a whole new side of Blindingly-Bright Cassidee."

"Expect that call, then."


	14. N is for

**N is for naevus (birthmark)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

_This game is weird._ Jace sat in the library of the Institute, in a circle with Isabelle, Magnus, Alec, and Cassidee. The little brown-eyed beauty had insisted on everyone playing the game, appropriately named Truth, since you weren't allowed to lie.

"Hmm… Cassidee, have you ever gotten in a fight?" Magnus asked. _Of course not,_ Jace snorted in his mind. Cassidee's cheeks reddened.

"Yeah, I have." Jace's eyes grew larger as he stared at his girlfriend in disbelief. "I was playing soccer, and this girl started cussing at me, so I punched her and we started fighting." Everyone started laughing. "Well, she was being a bad sport," Cassidee defended herself. "Alec, would you ever get colored contacts?"

"Actually, yeah, I would. I'd get darker blue. Jace, have you ever worn a color brighter than black or gray?" Jace chuckled.

"I wore a lilac-colored shirt once." He shot a pointed look at Cassidee, who smiled sheepishly. "I had to borrow it after _someone_ ruined mine with a Wild-Watermelon sno-cone." Isabelle giggled, elbowing her friend playfully.

"Did he change shirts in front of you? I bet that was your plan all along."

"Oh, yes, indeed," Cassidee teased.

"Cass," Jace said, calling everyone's attention to him, awaiting his question. "Do you have any scars or birthmarks?" Cassidee nodded, unfolding her legs and sticking them straight out.

"I cut my ankles all the time when I shave, so they're all scarred. This big purple scar is from the time I fell off a horse and gashed my knee on a rock. And…" Here she paused and pulled down the collar of her shirt, revealing a darker patch of skin directly below her collarbone. "This is my birthmark."

"It looks like a heart," Isabelle said, leaning closer to see.

"No, it's shaped like a fish," Magnus corrected.

"I think it's more like a 'C'," Alec pointed out, tracing the letter with a light finger. Cassidee nodded.

"You're all wrong," Jace stated, crawling across the circle and using his index finger to follow the birthmark. "It's obviously a 'J', for yours truly." Cassidee's face lit up and she examined her mark as best she could.

"It _does_ look like a 'J'!" She cheered, excited by her discovery.

"I can change it to a different letter, so you don't have that distasteful initial on your body," Magnus offered. Jace's eyes turned murderous, but Cassidee hugged him around his waist.

"I think it's the best birthmark ever," She assured him with a kiss to his jawbone.


	15. O is for

**O is for oneirodynia (nightmare)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"JACE!" Cassidee screamed, bolting upright in the bed she was borrowing. The guest room of the Institute wasn't as comfortable as her own bedroom, but the poor girl had been plagued by nightmares every night for almost two weeks. Jace had noticed the deep purple marks under her eyes, and after learning that she wasn't sleeping, he'd insisted that she stay at the Institute where he could watch her.

"Shh, shh, it's okay. I'm here," Jace whispered, bursting into the room and sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. Cassidee breathed heavily, eyes brimming with tears. She laid back down, resting her head on the pillows with an embarrassed grimace.

"I'm sorry," She mouthed when he yawned.

"It's okay, sweetheart. You're okay."

.

Jace entered the library to find Cassidee curled up in a corner of the couch, a book of Greek mythology open in her lap. He was happy to see that she was sleeping, her lips parted slightly as she breathed. He sat beside her, watching as the peaceful expression on her face changed. First to frightened, to pained, and finally to panicked. Her body gave a little start and her eyelids popped open, a small squeak breaking out of her throat.

"Jace," She breathed, leaning forward so her forehead rested on his chest. He tugged her into his lap and rocked her gently.

.

It was late in the night when Jace heard his door open. He closed the book that he had been reading and looked up to see Cassidee's small form hovering in the threshold.

"You're not gonna leave me, are you?" She asked, her voice meek. Jace sat up straighter and shook his head firmly. "You won't let me get hurt?" His eyes were fierce as he said no. "You're not gonna die, right?" Cassidee's voice trembled as she spoke the last question.

"No, baby, no. Come here," Jace said, watching the timid way she crossed the room and crawled onto the bed. He kissed her full on the lips, hard and yet soft at the same time. "Is that what your nightmares have been about?" He asked when their mouths pulled apart. Cassidee nodded slowly. "You're going to sleep here tonight," Jace told her, pushing back the covers and letting her settle in beside him. Immediately, she curled up in the fetal position, the way she normally slept. Jace kissed her cheek. "You won't ever be alone, sweetheart. I'm never going to leave you." With that, he laid down beside her and fit his body around hers, embracing her tightly.

Cassidee slept through the entire night.


	16. P is for

**P is for phrenic (near the midriff)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was cold outside. Jace had spent the morning in the training room with Alec, trying to work up some body heat by sparring. Now, it was lunchtime, and Isabelle was cooking. Jace wanted to avoid her food at all costs, so he quickly ran upstairs and called Cassidee, hoping she'd go out to lunch with him. When she picked up, Jace began to talk.

"Hi, Cass, can you get lunch with me at Taki's or something? Isabelle's trying to get me to eat her cooking, and I don't want to die today."

"Hm? Oh, sorry, Jace, I wasn't paying attention."

"Why in the Angel's name not?" He said rather loudly, hearing Isabelle start to yell for him to come eat.

"I'm in the middle of getting a tattoo," She replied cheerfully. Jace nearly dropped the phone.

"You _what?_ Don't go anywhere, I'm coming over!"

.

Jace burst through the door, shivering from the cold but desperately seeking his girlfriend, who was apparently crazy. Finally, she emerged from her bedroom, ending his search abruptly.

"Cassidee! What would possess you to defile your body with a—" Jace was interrupted by Cassidee tugging up the hem of her sweater, revealing a tan strip of skin. Beside her bellybutton, on her midriff, was a small, glittering black treble clef. "—temporary… tattoo." His golden eyes flashed up to hers accusingly.

"I never said it was a _real_ tattoo. You're the one who overreacted." After she'd spoken, she pressed her palm to his forearm. Jace shuddered as the warmth shocked his cold skin. "You _ran_ all the way over here without a coat and scarf. Go sit on the couch, dummy." Jace chuckled and obeyed. Cassidee went to her room and returned with a large, fluffy blanket that she proceeded to wrap around his shoulders. Jace tugged it closer gratefully.

"Well, you had me worried." Cassidee came to sit beside him, offering him a mug of hot apple cider.

"I wouldn't get a real tattoo." She assured him, sipping her cider daintily. "However, if I _did _get one…" She began thoughtfully.

"No." Jace stated flatly. Cassidee giggled and thumped him playfully.

"Don't tell me what to do."


	17. Q is for

**Q is for quarion (candle)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

_Jace, can you go to the store and get me some crayons please? I need lots. Cassidee_.

The golden boy walked to Cassidee's house, carrying thirty large packs of crayons in a bag. He was still puzzling over the random text he'd gotten from her this morning, but he'd long since learned to just go with whatever she was doing first and ask questions later. He crossed into the back yard, hearing music playing. Cassidee was cross-legged in the grass, seven silver pots sitting on seven heating trays. Jace approached and dropped the bag beside her. She looked up with a silly grin on her face.

"Thank you so much! Here, help me sort them out." Jace plopped down beside her.

"How are we sorting them?"

"Seven piles. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, and purple." She informed him, and the two set to work. When they'd finished, Jace opened his mouth to ask what she was doing. "Now, peel off all the wrappers." Jace shut his mouth and started peeling.

.

"What exactly are you doing?" Jace finally got to ask.

"Melting the crayons," Cassidee said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. She put each pile of color in a separate pot, watching the wax lose its shape and become a liquid pool.

"Why?" Jace asked when it appeared that she wasn't going to elaborate.

"I'm going to make candles."

"Alright then." Cassidee handed him a cotton wick, motioning towards the pots. Jace ignored the strangeness of the situation he was in and dipped the wick in the blue wax repeatedly, making a long blue candle. Cassidee grinned.

"Make the rest of them pretty," She instructed before holding up her piece of work. Her candle was short and fat, with pink and orange stripes. Jace chuckled.

.

For a while, the two sat side by side and made candles. Jace's mind had begun to wander while he performed the repetitive task of adding layers of wax onto the wick. He was lost in his thoughts and wasn't paying attention to his now-heavy candle. When he went to lift it out of the pot, the thick substance hit the rim of the pot, spilling hot liquid all over Cassidee's leg. The girl jerked away and yelped in pain. Jace's heart thudded. He swore loudly and scooped up his girlfriend, carrying her inside the house and putting her on the kitchen counter, turning on the sink faucet and sticking her injured leg under the cool stream of water. He was intently focused on her calf, gently wiping off the wax. Soon, though, he heard what sounded like a hiccup, and he looked at Cassidee's face.

Tears hung unshed in her eyes, and she was chewing on her lip. Jace made a choked noise and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry, Cassidee, I'm sorry," He apologized, his voice cracking halfway through her name. He felt her rubbing his back, comforting him, even though she was the one who needed to be comforted.

"It's okay. I'm glad you were here to help me." A feather-light kiss was pressed on his cheek. "I love you, Jace," She told him. He pulled away to look at her leg, and a sickened gasp came out of his throat at the sight of the livid scarlet burn mark. Cassidee leaned forward to see. "I like it."

"How could you like a huge red spot on your leg?" Jace asked in disbelief. Cassidee tapped his nose.

"It's a permanent reminder of the day my wonderful boyfriend helped me make crayon-wax candles."


	18. R is for

**R is for rhabdos (magic wand)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

The silence of Cassidee's living room was unhappy. The girl sat on the couch, eyes glaring holes in the floor and pink lips twisted into a pout. Jace was perched in the recliner across from her, waiting out her storm, which, apparently, was never going to end. Finally, he sighed and moved to sit beside her, resting a hand on her thigh.

"Cassidee, what's got you so upset?"

"Magnus bailed," She muttered after another few moments of quiet. Jace was puzzled.

"What plans did you two have?"

"He was going shopping with me, because Alec and Isabelle are out of town."

"Maybe something came up, like a new line of glittery makeup that he had to get," Jace snickered. Cassidee's eyes flashed up to his.

"But he promised he'd go with me, and he broke his promise." Jace patted her thigh comfortingly.

"I'm sorry."

"However…" The brown of her irises glinted mischievously. "He gave me this, as an apology." She reached over to the coffee table and seized a small glass-like stick. "It's a magic wand." Jace warred with himself, trying to decide whether Magnus had given her a real, honest-to-Angel wand, or if it was just a pretty trinket that Cassidee was pretending was magical. He gazed at her long and hard, judging the truth. Suddenly, she touched the tip of the stick to her hair and said, "Pink, please." Jace's mouth dropped open as rosy pink chased the tawny color out of each strand.

"By the Angel… it's real," Jace breathed. Cassidee giggled, setting the wand on the golden boy's arm.

"Glitter, if you will," She told it. Jace didn't have time to protest. He looked down in horror at his tan skin, seeing millions of tiny sparkles dusting it. Cassidee was enchanted, lifting his hand and moving it in the light, watching the glimmers in awe. "Please change the two of us back," She told it. Jace's skin lost its sparkles and the dirty-blond color came back to Cassidee's hair.

"I can't believe Magnus gave her that. Doesn't he know the horrible, destructive things she could do with it?" Jace ranted under his breath, walking to the kitchen. Cassidee overheard him and frowned. With a secret smile, she aimed the wand at his back and whispered to it.

.

Jace awoke and found himself much smaller than he should have been. He sat up, discovering that he was in Cassidee's bed. A blush spread across his cheeks and he swung his legs over the side of the mattress, puzzled when he couldn't touch the floor with his feet. His eyes wide, he reached up and touched his jaw, gasping when he felt how soft and undefined it was. A giggle sounded from the corner of the room.

"Aww, Jace, you're adorable!" Cassidee said, coming to crouch in front of him. Jace looked at her in confused horror.

"You're bigger than me…" He noted, clamping a hand over his mouth when he heard how high his voice was. It hadn't been that high since… Understanding washed over him. "You made me seven again!" Jace accused, earning a smug nod from Cassidee. "Change me back. _Now_." Cassidee pouted.

"But you're so cute and huggable!" She pointed out. Jace engaged her in a fierce staring contest; his eyes stern and demanding, hers soft and pleading. Finally, the boy sighed and dropped his head.

"Fine." Cassidee squealed and threw her arms around him.

.

Jace sat on the couch, arms crossed. Cassidee was toying with the wand, turning her clothes into different costumes and making Jace watch. Not that the boy didn't enjoy it; whether he was seven or seventeen, he still loved Cassidee with every atom of his body.

"How about this one? Is this your favorite?" Cassidee stood before him in a strapless, floor-length black gown, her hair in a tight bun.

"Sure," Jace said, closing his eyes. Cassidee pointed the wand, falling silent. When Jace opened his eyes, curious about her sudden lack of noise, his mouth popped open in a perfect 'O'. Cassidee's dress was now shorter than mid-thigh and clung to every curve she possessed. Her hair was out of the bun and fell wildly down her back. Jace struggled to swallow, and was startled to feel an immense, crazed pleasure at her appearance. Cassidee noticed his reaction.

"Jace, you're a child. You shouldn't be _bothered_ by this," She gestured to herself. When Jace's golden eyes met hers, she gasped at how dark they were. In her mind, she tried to blame the color of his irises on the lighting, but deep down she knew that shadows had nothing to do with it.

"Cassidee, change me back now," Jace said, trying to calm himself down. Cassidee nodded, and with a flick of the wand, he was a teenager again. "Now change yourself back before I do something very bad to you." Cassidee gulped and quickly changed the dress back into her jeans and tee. "Thank you." Jace relaxed while Cassidee came to sit beside him. She tilted her face up to his.

"Was that one your favorite?" She asked quietly, a touch of mischief in her eyes. A groan rumbled through Jace's throat and he kissed her as an answer.

"No more magic wands for you," He said when he pulled away.


	19. S is for

**S is for scintillescent (twinkling)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Hey, hey, ho," Isabelle teased when Cassidee opened the door. The two of them laughed. "Merry Christmas." Cassidee hugged her friend and invited her inside. Alec wore a pair of reindeer ears, grimacing. Cassidee tapped the bell on the end of one.

"Cute, Alec, very cute," She said. Alec shot a glare at Magnus.

"It's all his fault," He blamed the warlock before going into the house. Magnus stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend, then hugged Cassidee tightly.

"Ah, I can smell the Christmas spirit in here. However…" He walked over to the Christmas tree, seeing only a few presents under it. "I believe a little more spirit should be present." With a wink in Alec's direction, Magnus gestured with his arms. The ordinary white Christmas lights on the tree turned all shades of neon and began to blink, while the simple gold star at the top became silver, spouting fake snow all over the branches. Underneath the tree, more and more presents piled up, wrapped and tied prettily. Cassidee's eyes glowed.

"Thank you so much, Magnus! This'll be the best Christmas ever!"

.

"Hey… Where's Jace?" Cassidee asked a little while later, noting her boyfriend's absence. Alec and Isabelle shared a conspiratorial glance. The ghost of a smile danced around Magnus's lips. Cassidee frowned. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. Jace had a late-night demon problem, and he got pretty beat-up. He's still asleep at the Institute," Isabelle said, shrugging and taking a deep swallow of her hot chocolate. Cassidee was alarmed.

"What if he's really hurt? What if he's passed out or something and nobody's there to help him?" A gasp flew out of her mouth, and her hand touched her lips in panic. "What if he died?" Cassidee immediately popped up off the couch, shrugging the fluffy blanket she'd been wrapped in off her shoulders. Magnus twitched his fingers, and an invisible hand restrained Cassidee from leaving. She shot him an annoyed glare, but he just laughed.

"Calm down. The little egoist is fine. Now, sit back down." Under Magnus's power, Cassidee was forced to do so. The blanket lifted itself around her once again. As soon as she'd settled down, Cassidee got to her feet again, prompted by a knock at the door. She opened it, revealing Jace, dressed in black jeans and a gray coat. A bright red Santa hat was sitting, slightly askew, on his golden curls.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Jace said, quickly leaning down and pressing a kiss to her lips. Cassidee blushed and led him inside. Before sitting down, he stacked a pile of presents under the tree with a smirk. Isabelle clapped her hands, getting everyone's attention.

"Are we ready for present-opening?" She asked gleefully. Everyone nodded, and Cassidee started distributing the gifts.

.

About 10 presents sat around each person, all cheerily covered in bright paper and bows. Cassidee announced that Jace would be the first to open one of his gifts, silencing his protests with a kiss. The boy tore open the blue snowman wrapping paper with deft fingers, showing the gift inside: a black plastic hair comb. Magnus guffawed.

"I thought you could use it for that tangled mess of hair," He said through his laughter. Jace smirked, imitating Link Larkin from Hairspray while he ran the comb through his curls.

"Thanks, Maggie," Jace teased.

"Anything for you, Jacey-poo." Magnus winked. "I'm opening next." After tearing off the paper, Magnus pulled the top off the white box inside. A set of makeup was inside, composed of dark colors and glitter. The warlock grinned widely at Cassidee in appreciation. "Alec, your turn."

"Alright." The boy unwrapped the present, smiling when he saw what was inside: a pair of black sunglasses that he'd been wanting for a long time. "Thanks, Izzy. You're up." Isabelle didn't have to be told twice; she instantly uncovered her gift. A dark, mischievous light entered her eyes as she held up a slinky, small dress, clearly meant to dazzle the opposite gender.

"Cassidee, Cassidee. You're just dying to get me in trouble, aren't you?" Cassidee grinned, not giving an answer. "Open one of yours." The tawny-haired girl pulled a gift onto her lap, cautiously pulling off the pink paper and untying the silver ribbon. She gasped when she saw the elaborately carved cherry-wood box inside. She lifted the lid, showing an empty, velvet-lined box. A tiny crease appeared between her eyebrows in puzzlement.

"It's a magic music box, Cass," Magnus informed her. "You tell it a song, and it'll play it." Cassidee beamed, turning her attention to the box again.

"Play… 'Makin' Plans' by Miranda Lambert, please," Cassidee directed. The music box started to play the melody, while images and little 3-D figures flickered in the velvet space, making a music video that went with the music. Everyone was enchanted, especially Cassidee. "Who got this for me?" Isabelle shook her head; Magnus raised his hands in innocence. Jace was staring at Alec, who was looking at the floor as if in embarrassment. Cassidee shot him a blindingly bright smile. "Thank you."

"Sure, it was nothing." Alec mumbled, the tips of his cheeks pink at her attention.

.

Near midnight, Isabelle, Alec, and Magnus left, having opened all their presents and consumed vast amounts of hot chocolate and gingerbread people. Cassidee was washing dishes, humming Christmas carols under her breath. Jace came up behind her, winding his arms around her waist and kissing the hollow behind her ear.

"Come look outside," He murmured, tugging her away from the sink with no resistance from the girl. He gently pushed her out of the back door, hearing a contented sigh from her as she watched the snow falling. Slowly, he reached into his pocket, pulling out her final present and holding it in front of her. She took it, opening the black velvet box and gasping softly when she saw the gift. Jace turned her to face him, plucking the ring from the box and sliding it onto her finger.

"It's beautiful," She whispered, admiring the delicate silver band and the rainbow quartz gem atop it. While she twisted her hand, the jewel showed all its colors; from blue-green to deep purple, pale pink to light orange. Jace smiled, leaning close to speak in her ear.

"I wanted you to get used to having a crystal on your finger, because I have every intention of putting a diamond on it soon," He confided, reveling in the way her breathing hitched in her throat before he tilted her face up and planted his lips on hers.

All around them, the crystalline snowflakes twinkled in the full moon's light.


	20. T is for

**T is for trin (triplet)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Hey, Cassidee," Jace answered his phone.

"Hi, Jace!" She said, giggling. Faintly, Jace heard male voices. He frowned.

"What's going on?" From the other line, there was a squeal.

"Nothing, nothing!" Cassidee said, followed by a muffled complaint.

"I'm coming over," Jace stated, preparing to hang up.

"Not a good idea, Ja—" Cassidee began to protest, but Jace was already pulling on his shoes.

.

The golden boy knocked on Cassidee's door, expecting to see his girlfriend when the door opened. He was surprised to see two teenage boys standing in the threshold.

"Where's Cassidee?" Jace asked, a small seed of worry taking root in his stomach.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," One of the boys said, shaking his head. "Too late, man. We already killed her." Jace's hands twitched, and he fought the urge to tighten them into fists.

"Knock it off, you two," Cassidee said, pushing between the boys to stand beside Jace. She looked up at him apologetically. "Sorry about these dummies. Sometimes I'm ashamed to call them my brothers." Jace was startled.

_Brothers?_

.

"Guys, this is Jace Wayland," Cassidee said, gesturing to the boy who was seated in the recliner. "Jace, these are my brothers. This is Ryan." Ryan, sitting on the left, lifted a hand in greeting. Jace nodded to him. "And this is Daniel." Daniel, on the right of Cassidee, grinned.

"So, you're Cass's boyfriend?" Daniel asked, ruffling Cassidee's hair.

"Yeah, I am," Jace replied. Daniel laughed.

"Straightforward." Jace nodded, earning a smile from Cassidee.

"You're taking good care of our little sister, right?" Ryan asked, sincere brotherly protectiveness in his dark brown irises. Jace's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Of course he is," Cassidee piped up, sounding indignant at Ryan's question. "And I'm not your 'little' sister. We're the same age," She pointed out.

"You and Ryan are twins?" Jace asked, confused.

"No. All three of us are triplets." Looking closer, Jace could see the resemblance between the three. They shared their brown eyes, though Cassidee's were a smidge lighter than the boys'. All of their hair was dirty-blond, and even the shape of their noses was similar.

"Technically, I'm the oldest," Daniel reminded. "Then Ryan, and then you, so you're still our little sister, Cass." Cassidee stuck out her tongue, making Jace chuckle.

"Yeah, but intelligence-wise, I'm better than both of you put together," She muttered, eliciting laughter from all the males in the room. "Anyways, what are you guys doing back here? I thought you were never coming to New York?"

"Well, we hadn't seen you in a while, so we decided to catch a jet over here," Daniel said, elbowing her playfully. "What's wrong, you're not happy to see your favorite people in the world?" He noticed Cassidee glancing at Jace. "Oh, Ryan, we've been replaced!" Daniel put on a dramatic fake-death scene. Ryan rolled his eyes, then addressed Jace, who had a half-smirk on his face.

"I am so sorry," He said. Jace shrugged.

"I live with two siblings. I'm used to this." Ryan nodded in complete understanding.

"Jace, why don't you come out to dinner with us?" Cassidee invited. Jace accepted with an affectionate smile. On their way out the door, Cassidee stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you're meeting my family," She whispered.

"Well, you've met mine, so it's only fair," Jace said.

"Come on, lovebirds, you can make out later!" Daniel hollered from the car. Cassidee shook a fist at him.


	21. U is for

**U is for ultion (revenge)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

A dark cloud hung around the normally-bright Cassidee. Jace walked into the library and stopped short when he saw the ill humor she was in. An open book sat on her lap, abandoned. Her brown-gold irises were veiled with thought and a certain degree of irritation. She was chewing ruminatively on her lower lip, seemingly unaware of his presence. He approached her slowly, putting a hand on her shoulder and shaking her a bit. In a snap, her eyes cleared and she smiled.

"Hi," She said, almost shyly. Jace kissed her nose.

"Hey. You looked like you were in a trance or something. What were you thinking about?"

"Just planning something." _Mysterious. Very mysterious. And suspicious…_

"Anything I can help with?" Jace asked. Cassidee opened her lips to say 'no', but after a moment of thought, she nodded. Jace couldn't help but see the spark of impish determination that lit in her eyes.

"We need to go to the store."

.

Two hours later, Cassidee was climbing a tree outside of the Institute, laying flat on her stomach and scooting along a branch that touched the wall just below Jace's window. She threw down one end of a rope, allowing her boyfriend to tie all their shopping bags to it. Slowly, she pulled up the supplies. Jace watched her intently, confident about her abilities but anxious about how high up she was. When the bags were resting in front of her, she moved from a laying position to a sitting position, then pushed herself up onto her knees, tossing the bags into the window. Jace's heart stopped for a moment when she got to her feet and walked along the branch, pausing to grin at him before leaping into the window. Jace shook his head and went up to his room.

.

Cassidee was unpacking the bags when Jace entered, shutting the door behind him. He observed their haul with curiosity: cans of silly string, toilet paper, window markers, confetti, black trash bags, superglue, and chalk.

"Exactly what are we doing with all this?" Jace asked. Cassidee looked up at him sincerely.

"We're trashing Isabelle's room." Jace chuckled, but the laughter faded as he realized that his girlfriend wasn't kidding in the least.

"Why would you want to risk your life—and mine, at that—just to trash her room?"

"Well, it all started yesterday. We went out shopping, and we found the cutest dress. It was in both our sizes, so we both put one on. Isabelle said that she'd look better in the dress, so naturally I said that I'd look better. There was a very handsome group of three guys standing nearby. Isabelle and I walked out and talked to them, and Izzy asked which of us looked better. Two of them said Isabelle, one said me. Then Izzy teased me about it for the rest of the day. I want revenge." Jace nodded, excitement at their plan taking hold of his brain. He loved to tease Isabelle; this would be the ultimate prank.

"She's gone out for the afternoon, and won't be back until about midnight. We could do it now," Jace said, earning a wickedly gleeful grin from his girlfriend.

.

Near eleven-thirty, Jace and Cassidee stole back up to Jace's room, grinning with pride at their work. Jace fell onto his bed, throwing an arm over his eyes as he laughed. Cassidee went digging through the last bag, revealing a two-liter bottle of Cheerwine. She twisted the cap and held it up in the air.

"Here's to sweet, savory revenge," She said, taking a long swallow of the soda before passing it to Jace, who proceeded to do the same thing. Soon, they heard the Institute door close, and Isabelle's cheery voice talking to Alec. Cassidee listened closely, one hand on Jace's thigh as they sat on his bed, waiting. Soon, they heard high heels clacking around the tile floors, followed by a moment of silence… then a high, piercing scream as Isabelle saw her room. Cassidee laughed heartily, rolling on the bed and clutching her sides. Jace pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling the noise quickly, before the victim of their prank could hear it. Cassidee sat up straight, wiped the tears from her eyes, and slapped Jace a high-five. The two of them leaned back against Jace's headboard, feeling highly satisfied with themselves as they took turns sipping the Cheerwine.

Minutes later, they erupted into laughter again as Isabelle's voice screamed "JACE!"


	22. V is for

**V is for vitrail (stained glass)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

A constant stream of chatter came from Cassidee's lips as she walked through the fair with Jace—said boy was hardly paying attention to her. She'd convinced him not to wear black, and he'd agreed, wearing faded blue jeans and a light brown tee. He was regretting it, feeling unlike himself, although Cassidee said he looked like a handsome cowboy.

"Jace. _Jace._" Cassidee said, drawing his attention to her brown eyes. "Do you want to try some of this?" She offered him a plastic cup full of a yogurt-y looking paste and chunks of something brown. Jace wrinkled his nose.

"What is it?" He asked, taking the cup cautiously.

"Homemade banana pudding with vanilla wafers," She informed him. "It's really yummy." Jace raised an eyebrow, but lifted the spoon to his mouth and took a bite. To his surprise, he enjoyed it.

"It _is_ pretty good," He said, eating some more. Cassidee looked pleased, and they continued. The North Carolina mountains were very different from New York, but Jace was having a good time exploring Cassidee's hometown. The fair they were at was sort of an anything-goes event. There were stalls where people made jewelry and clothes, stalls where people made food, stalls where people were selling old trinkets, and stalls where people just gathered to talk about the latest gossip in town. Everyone greeted Cassidee warmly, asking about her life in New York and how she was doing. When she introduced Jace, the men shook his hand firmly and told him to 'take care of this one, you won't want to lose her', and the women would hug him and tell Cassidee 'you couldn't have done better with this handsome fellow'.

"Jace? Hello?" Again, he was tugged out of his thoughts. Cassidee was looking up at him curiously. "I asked if you wanted to see the animals." She motioned towards a large area on their left. Jace nodded, following her.

.

"Aww, look at this little cutie!" Cassidee cooed, holding a floppy-eared puppy that licked her face excitedly. Jace sat against a pile of hay bales, watching.

"Look at _that_ cutie," A boy's voice said, approaching Cassidee. The girl looked up and smiled, holding out the puppy for the teenager to see. The guy rubbed the dog's head affectionately, then winked. "But I wasn't talking about the dog." Cassidee blushed a bit, murmuring a 'thank you'.

"Jace, come over here and look!" Cassidee chirped. Jace obliged, nodding at the guy—even though he would've preferred to throw him into the bull pen.

"Good catch, bro," The guy said, motioning subtly to Cassidee before walking away. Jace chuckled, crouching beside Cassidee and petting the puppies.

"Let's see the horses next, Jace." Cassidee led her boyfriend over to the pasture, leaning against the railing. Suddenly, her eyes widened as she caught sight of a bright yellow sign. Jace followed her gaze and read _'Try to ride a bucking bronco!'_

"No, no no…" Jace turned to his girlfriend, but she was already gone, having jumped the fence and entered the horse pen, talking to one of the workers and then following him over to a separate pen. Jace panicked, going over to stop her.

Too late.

Cassidee was seated on the back of a ghostly white stallion, her hands wrapped in his mane and her knees gripping his sides. Jace watched in horror as the gate was opened, releasing the horse into the pen where he bucked and kicked, trying to unseat his ride. Cassidee held fast, leaning with him and keeping up with his sudden jerks. His heart pounding, Jace kept an intent, anxious eye on the action in the pen. Eventually, though, the horse tired, slowing and stopping his attempts to buck off Cassidee. The girl was triumphantly beaming, patting the stallion's neck and calming him down.

"Not too shabby, huh?" Cassidee asked, a little smug as she walked the horse over to Jace. The boy nodded once, curtly, and began to walk away. His girlfriend quickly slipped off the stallion's back, thanked the worker, then chased after Jace. "Sorry, Jacey," She apologized, hugging him. Jace hesitated a moment, but sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"You had me worried." Cassidee glanced up at him, a smile playing around the corners of her lips.

"I've been on wild horses' backs since I was a toddler. I'm a self-trained professional bareback rider." Jace chuckled and strode ahead into the fair. After a moment, he realized that Cassidee had stopped a few feet away, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly parted. Jace turned around curiously.

"What is it?" Jace asked. Silently, almost in a daze, Cassidee motioned to the stall behind Jace. The boy looked, seeing all shapes, sizes, and designs of stained glass panels. The sunlight filtered through the glass, making streams of color that shone on everything in front of the stall.

"Beautiful…" Cassidee whispered, stepping closer to run a gentle, soft finger down Jace's jawline. The colored sunshine settled on his hair, illuminating the gold hue with a light akin to an angel's halo. His eyes danced with green and yellow accents, while his skin glowed brilliantly, touched with pink highlights. The girl was overwhelmed with the numbing splendor that Jace exuded, and the boy found it enchanting to watch her be enchanted by him.

"Best fair ever." Jace stated, smirking slightly before cupping Cassidee's hand in his and pressing it to his cheek.


	23. W is for

**W is for wirble (to whirl/spin round and round)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Ooh, Jace, this one looks awesome!" Cassidee gasped, her eyes alight with childish glee. Jace observed the green-and-black spiral ride with interest.

"It goes upside down," He stated, watching it. Cassidee nodded with excitement.

"Look how fun it is! Let's ride!" Before Jace could open his mouth, the girl bounced into the line, eagerly leaning against the rail. With a shake of his head, Jace followed.

Lately, Cassidee had been pulling Jace out of the Institute more and more often. Last month, she'd convinced him to go to a waterpark, and a few weeks ago, to a lake house in North Carolina that her family had owned for years. Add that to the fair, the beach, and now Carowinds, and Jace had hardly been in the Institute for longer than a week. He didn't know what was causing his girlfriend's restlessness, and that bothered him. However, she was so thrilled to be going places with him, and he loved to make her happy… _Ah, so what if she wants to get out of New York,_ Jace reasoned, walking up to join her in line, _We're still together, and we're having a good time. _

"All right, let's go!" Cassidee chirped, tugging him towards a seat. Jace was puzzled.

"How are we both supposed to fit in here?" He asked.

"Duh. You sit in the back." He shrugged and did so, resting his head against the back of the basket. Cassidee made a motion with her hands. "Spread your legs." Jace felt his heart jump a little, but he did as he was told. Cassidee scrambled into the basket, settling between his legs and resting her hands on his knees. "Here goes the ride!"

As the ride began to spin, Cassidee's grip on Jace's knees tightened and she laughed. Jace was smirking, amused by Cassidee's unfettered joy. When they started spinning faster, the ride went vertical, and the basket was whirling upside down. It was the best part of the ride… but it got Jace in trouble.

Each time the basket went upside down, Cassidee was thrown against Jace, and as it righted itself, Cassidee was moved off again. This constant grinding motion was making Jace's senses go crazy, and it took all of his willpower to stay in control of himself. Through the haze of his mind, Jace ordered his hands to seize Cassidee's waist. He managed to push the girl off his lap and hold her there, allowing his senses to calm down. The last thing he wanted was to lose control and startle Cassidee. Finally, the ride slowed and came to a halt.

"Let's ride it again!" Cassidee bubbled, turning to see her boyfriend with his eyes fuzzy and a funny look on his face. She tilted her head to the side inquisitively.

"Let's not."


	24. X is for

**X is for xenium (compulsory gift; a gift that's required)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

Jace swooped down to plant a sloppy kiss on Cassidee's cheek before sitting down on the couch beside her. The girl shrieked a little, swiping Jace's spit off her skin and slapping his arm.

"You jerk!" She said, even though a giggle was in her voice. Jace chuckled.

"So you keep reminding me," He said, his tone low and shiver-inducing. Cassidee unconsciously tilted her head to the side as Jace leaned close to whisper in her ear. "But you still love me." His nose skimmed along her jawline, his lips brushing feather-light kisses on her neck. Cassidee's heart was racing, her brain becoming muddled. She _had_ to stop herself, before she lost control. Quickly, she turned her head and kissed Jace's nose before sliding an inch away from him on the couch.

"Tomorrow's Mother's Day, are you getting Maryse a gift?" She asked. Jace sighed; he had really thought he was finally getting a response from Cassidee. _She's stubborn, that's for sure, _He thought with a smirk.

"Maryse isn't my mother," Jace said, "And I'd bet Alec and Isabelle aren't getting anything either. We don't really celebrate it." Cassidee's brows crinkled into a frown.

"You should." Jace didn't catch the glimmer of distance in her eyes.

"Are you getting something for your mother?"

"I would. Believe me, I would." This time, Jace caught the longing in her features. Before he could ask, Cassidee spoke again. "She's dead. My dad, too."

"Who's your guardian?" He asked quietly, his eyes intent on her face.

"I'm still under my parents' name, so nobody's my guardian. Mama always told me that my cousin Sara would take care of me, Ryan, and Daniel. When Mama and Daddy died, we went to Sara's for a while, but Sara had recently gotten married and she was expecting a baby, so we left."

"So you've been on your own since then?"

"Mostly. I stayed with Ryan and Daniel for a while, in our old house, but after a while, all I wanted was to leave. I found this place, and I haven't left."

"When did your parents die?"

"Just last year. This is my first Mother's Day without a mother to give a gift to." Cassidee gave Jace a tremulous smile, and he opened his arms. She crawled into them without hesitation.

.

A knock on the front door woke Cassidee. She stumbled down the hall and opened it, revealing Jace, dressed in a button-down and slacks. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"We're going out. Wear this, please." Cassidee accepted the white bag with a nod, inviting Jace inside while she changed. When she emerged, Jace got to his feet, his heart full of love. Cassidee's hair was braided loosely, draped over her shoulder with tiny silver flowers poked in it. The dress Jace had bought her was white, with a large bow tied in the back. She smiled, a blush on her cheeks.

"I'm ready. Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

.

Jace parked the car and opened Cassidee's door. She stepped out and froze.

"The cemetery?" She asked, a tremor in her voice. Jace put a steady hand on the small of her back and propelled her forward.

"Every mother needs a gift on Mother's Day." He said simply, stopping her in front of a marble headstone. He heard her breath catch in her throat. She pulled her skirt up and sank to her knees, putting a hand on the cold marble and stroking the carved letters there.

"Mama…" She whispered, "Daddy…" Jace crouched beside her, giving her a small bag and a bouquet of flowers. Cassidee placed the flowers in front of the headstone, and reached inside the bag, pulling out what was inside. When she saw the crystal angel, she turned to Jace with tears in her eyes.

"It's for her," He said, taking Cassidee's hands and guiding them towards the grave. She placed the angel under her mother's name, laughing a little.

"This is from Jace, Mama. He doesn't have a mother, and I wish he could have met you. I know you would have taken care of him." Cassidee giggled, sniffling. "Daddy, he's a good boy. He opens doors for me and holds my hand." Jace reached out and took Cassidee's hand. She glanced back at him and smiled. "They'd be happy knowing you were taking care of me," She told him before getting to her feet. Jace stood, but turned back to the headstone before they walked away.

"You have a wonderful daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Kaye. I promise I'll take care of her. I love her." Cassidee snuggled under his arm and hugged him tightly.

"Happy Mother's Day," Cassidee said before she and Jace walked away.


	25. Y is for

**Y is for yonderly (absent-minded)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"…So then I decided to get some new clothes, and just as I went to try them on, this super-hot guy comes into the store, right? And I was about to go over and talk to him, but—Cassidee. Cassidee, are you even listening?" Magnus frowned, crossing his arms in front of his chest indignantly. Cassidee shook her head and blinked a few times, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry, Magnus. I'm just a little… distracted."

"Would a certain egotistical demon-hunter have anything to do with your distraction?" Magnus asked knowingly, seeing the faint pink dusting on her cheeks.

"A… A little bit," Cassidee admitted.

"Speak of the egotistical demon-hunter, and the egotistical demon-hunter shall appear," Jace said, swaggering into the room with his usual confidence. He took a seat next to Cassidee, and Magnus stood.

"Well, I'll leave you kiddies to your canoodling. I don't want to see this." With a wave of glittery purple nails, Magnus left. Jace winked at his girlfriend, patted his thigh, and Cassidee crawled onto his lap.

"What's all this distraction?" Jace asked, pressing a kiss under her jawline. Cassidee tilted her head to the side to allow him better access. She shivered when she felt his teeth graze her skin lightly.

"I, uh… Um." Cassidee tried, but her brain was so muddled that she couldn't form a complete word. Jace chuckled and pulled away a bit to look her in the eyes.

"Go on," He urged. "Why so absent-minded?" He wound an arm around her waist and hugged her. "Is it because of this?" Using one hand to tilt up her chin, Jace allowed his lips to skim along hers, their skin barely touching. "How about this?"

"Jace…" Cassidee whispered, her breath tickling Jace's cheeks. His eyes were dark gold now, and Cassidee's were wide with a certain degree of fear at what Jace would do next.

"Sorry. I'll stop." He slackened his hold on her.

"Nnn—" Cassidee started to protest, leaning forward to stay close to him. She placed her lips on his, sliding her fingers through his hair. Jace kissed back, trying not to lose his self-control. His thoughts were quickly turning for the worse. He wanted more, so much more than just the calm, sweet kiss that he was locked in right now. But he knew Cassidee was perfectly content with gentle affection, and he wasn't going to push her any farther than what she was comfortable with.

When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless. Jace's mind was foggy.

"Who's… distracted… now?" Cassidee panted, a smile on her face. Jace kissed her forehead.


	26. Z is for

**Z is for zootrophy (tending to animals)**

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Good morning, Mrs. Annette!" Cassidee said cheerfully, walking into the animal center with Jace behind her. Mrs. Annette looked up and smiled.

"Hi, Cassidee. Who's your friend there?"

"This is Jace. He's here to help." Mrs. Annette nodded and pointed to the back.

"Well, there's lots of critters, so ya'll will have tons to do." Cassidee grinned, taking Jace's hand and leading him to the back rooms where all the animals were.

"Dogs first, dollface," Cassidee said, opening a door and leading her boyfriend inside.

.

"Oh, hey, guys!" Cassidee crooned, dropping to her knees on the floor and beaming. Instantly, dogs of all kinds swarmed around her, jumping and barking excitedly. Cassidee was laughing, even as she was tackled onto the floor. Jace chuckled and kneeled beside her. "Jace, meet the family." Cassidee pushed a few of the dogs off her and started listing off their names. "This is Taco, Beanie, Channing, Royale, Beckers, Motown, Corndog, and Tottie." Jace scratched Corndog, a German Shepherd, behind the ears.

"They're cute. What do we do with them?"

"Play," Cassidee said, as though it was obvious. She rolled onto her hands and knees, staring the biggest dog in the eyes. Jace recognized the large malamute as Beckers. Cassidee was grinning at Beckers, crouching down. Beckers did the same, preparing to attack with his tail wagging gently. With a burst of laughter, Cassidee and Beckers sprung at each other, causing the two to fall to the floor in a mass of white fur and blond hair. Jace was concerned, but obviously Beckers wasn't hurting Cassidee.

"Hey, Beanie," Jace said, feeling a nudge against his thigh and finding that it was the little Cocker Spaniel. He rubbed the dog's proffered stomach, chuckling when Taco the Chihuahua came and wanted his tummy rubbed too. Soon, he felt a pressure on his back, and arms wound around his neck.

"You're good with them," Cassidee noted with pride, nuzzling her face into his neck. "Let's see how you do with the cats."

.

"Looks like you've got an instant friend," Cassidee giggled. Jace looked down at his shoes and saw a tiny black kitten perched on his toe. Suddenly, the kitten jumped onto his leg, hooking his claws into the denim of Jace's jeans. Cassidee was full-out laughing as the kitten climbed up Jace's pants, then up his shirt until he was perched on Jace's shoulder, his tail flicking lightly against Jace's ear. Jace grinned crookedly at Cassidee as the kitten licked the side of Jace's face.

"You do, too," He pointed out. About five of the cats were circling Cassidee, rubbing against her ankles affectionately. She picked one of them up, a tan tabby with bright blue eyes.

"This is Harley. Named after the motorcycle company, Harley Davidson."

"Why?" Cassidee held the cat to her chest and hugged it, motioning for Jace to listen. He did, and heard the loudest purr coming from Harley.

"Because she sounds like a motorcycle when she purrs," Cassidee giggled. Jace had to agree. Cassidee set Harley on one of the climbing trees and reached into a little basket, fishing out a ball of orange. Jace leaned closer to see the tiny kitten curled up in Cassidee's cupped palm. "This little sweetie is Nemo. She's the same age as Boris, on your shoulder."

"Why is she so little, then?" Compared to Boris, Nemo was a dwarf.

"Before she opened her eyes, the person who owned her had kicked her, and stunted her growth. When she's a full-grown adult, she'll be Boris's size." Nemo mewed softly, earning a smile from Cassidee, who proceeded to stroke the little animal with her thumb. Jace removed Boris from his shoulder and put him on the floor, then reached out and took Nemo in his hands with extreme gentleness.

Cassidee watched, enraptured, as her tough demon-hunting boyfriend cradled the delicate kitten in hands that had held knives for years.


End file.
